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Your flight landed an hour late. Now, you'll be late for that important meeting. You can already imagine your customers sitting around a conference table waiting impatiently. You step to the front of the line at the car rental counter, with six other exasperated businessmen behind you who are late for their meetings, too. The rental agent the contract plunks down in front of you, and circles all the places on the contract that you're supposed to sign or initial. Then she stare at you, as if to say, "Hurry up!" "The print is small. The sentences are written in Legalese. You'd like to stop and read the fine print, but you can feel the people behind you getting more upset. You thought you were renting a car for $ 35.00 per day. With all the add-ons, the cost is now $ 70.00 per day.

Oh ... the pressure ... panic! In the cave, the signature and leave your initials in the right places. You take your contract and keys and head for your car, feeling like a failure inside and crazy, because you do not work for you.

If the previous history to know that it is hoped, shortly before!

It does not matter whether you are a regular car renters or only occasional travelers who need to rent a car, you are likely with this kind of decisions at the car rental counter. Some people just drop everything. Some people buy all the coverage.

But ... are you bunch of wasting money on unneeded coverage or leaving yourself dangerously under insured? Before leaving on your trip, I recommend that you have two phone calls - a car for your insurance and the other for the credit card companies are using to pay for the rental car. You need to find out whether you have automatic coverage for your car rental by individual companies and the various terms and conditions for the automatic detection.

FIRST ... CALL YOUR CAR INSURANCE COMPANY

In your personal or business auto insurance, there is coverage for damage to your car. The insurance agreement in most policies, says: "We pay for direct and accidental loss to" your car "or" non-owned auto, "including their equipment, minus any applicable deductible in the declaration."

Another set is VERY IMPORTANT!

"" If there is a loss to a "non-owned auto ', we offer you the widest coverage for all", which automatically "in the declarations." "Here is an example of how it does for you:

You have two vehicles. Is a 2006 Toyota Camry with full coverage. It is valued at $ 24,000. The other is A 1980 Chevy S-10 pickup worth $ 1,500 that you only use for trips back and forth to the local home improvement store, and you only have liability coverage on the pickup. If you rented a car and it was damaged, your insurance would fully cover the rental car, which is the largest coverage in your policy.

If you usually drive an older car with only liability insurance on, there will be no property insurance on the car. In this case you should either of the Credit Card Collision Damage Waiver or buy CDW from the car rental company.

Ask your insurance representative how much coverage you have on your car. Questions whether there is a limit on the value of your Collision coverage. If there is a limit, and then a 7-year-old Ford Taurus that the value of $ 5500 ... and hire a new Cadillac Escalade that the value of $ 55,000 ... your personal auto insurance for the damage to the higher value of the vehicle? Really important to know this ... You can use car rental companies owe tens of thousands of dollars to repair or replace, a high value vehicle, if you are not properly recorded.

Find out the limits of liability. Make sure that your limits are higher than the minimum limits required by your state. Limits over 100,000 U.S. Dollar per person / $ 300,000 per accident for bodily injury and $ 100,000 for property damage are very inexpensive. Make sure that you limits are no less than that amount ... higher would be better.

Find out what collision and comprehensive deductibles on your car, since these deductions apply if you rent a car and use your own insurance for the rental coverage.

Make sure that the uninsured motorist and underinsured motorist coverage on your personal or business policy. If you are involved in an accident with an uninsured motorist, and the accident is his fault, recovery is virtually impossible. Likewise with a motorist, the underinsured. At best your own insurance coverage.

Q: What happens if I am not a car, and not about car insurance?

A: If you do not own a car, you will not have a vehicle policy. You buy the car door, the CDW and liability coverage. Or, you should use your credit card's CDW and buy the optional liability coverage from the rental car company. If you are a frequent car renter, you can have a "non-owner liability policy. This solution could save money by reporting on the car rental company.

Q: What happens if my personal property in the car is damaged or stolen?

A: Most of Collision Damage Waiver offer insurance coverage for the theft of the vehicle, but not the personal property stolen or damaged within the vehicle. Check your homeowners or renters insurance, as you can for reporting your stolen or damaged personal property. A deductible is likely to apply.

Here is a super important tip! Some people think that if they purchased Collision Damage Waiver or CDW from their credit card, and the car was damaged, they do not have to report to their own insurance. They are hoping that because the CDW covers the damage, it will not affect their own insurance policy .... and they will not get a rate increase. WRONG! Do not be tempted to believe that you can, without your accident to your insurance company. In most accidents, damaged more than just the car. Even if your accident is only you run into a guardrail, who owns that guardrail is for the cost of the damage. Other people might have been violated. You could become a major liability exposure, and you need to provide your personal or business auto policy to cover your losses. Your insurance provides legal representation, if someone files a lawsuit against you for damages.

If you want with your own personal or business auto coverage, declining Collision Damage Waiver at the car rental agreement.

MORE ... CALL The credit card company

Ask your credit card company about the benefits they offer. Each company is different, and each level of credit is different. For example, a regular card, various insurance benefits as a Gold or Platinum Card. Ask the card company will send you your benefits in writing. If you are in a hurry, please send it by fax or via e-mail to you.

Some cards can only be used for the collision and comprehensive, and let the responsibility for the uninsured. Some cards only offer coverage if you rent from a landlord. Some restrict the number of days of reporting. Some cards are not automatically calculated for you and require you to sign up for a particular program. Still others are the kinds of vehicles you can rent. (see below for some exceptions)

If you have more than one credit card, call everyone and find out the card with the best performance. Then use that credit card to pay for your rental car, and its benefits.

If you plan to use the credit card company reporting, you must decline the Collision Damage Waiver in the rental car contract. Otherwise, the credit card company's coverage will become excess to the coverage in the car rental company's Collision Damage Waiver. "Excess" means that all other available first, and would pay the credit card would pay for all the remaining part of the damage.

Credit Collision Damage exceptions for:

• Damage to motor vehicle
• Theft
• Loss of use
• towing devices

See your credit card company for CDW's written all the details.

Collision Damage exceptions excluded:

• injury to persons or damage to anything inside or outside the rental vehicle.

• Loss or theft of personal belongings.

• Liability

• Loss of intentional acts, such as DUI, drug or other illegal activities.

• Off-road operation. If you rent an SUV, and take you off-road, do not care.

• Rental periods of more than 15 days in your country of residence, or more than 31 days in a foreign country.

• Vehicles that do not meet the definition of "cars", "such as:

- Expensive, exotic and antique cars

- Certain vans

- Pickup Trucks

- Other vehicles

- Motorcycles and ATVs

See your credit card company for CDW's written all the details.

CAR INSURANCE

Most major car rental companies offer these four coverages.

• Collision Damage Waiver (CDW). This includes a vehicle damaged in an accident, vandalism, theft or loss of use. Costs range between $ 9 and $ 20 per day.

The most misunderstood part of the car cover is the Collision Damage Waiver, or sometimes called the "Auto Rental CDW. ""

Remember the ... CDW from the car rental car is not insured. The insurance is through the individual states. Collision Damage Reporting is a liberation. The car rental company agreed to not charge the tenant when the car is damaged or stolen, and they guarantee that they are for certain damages, which in its reporting arrangement.

In many cases, the waiver also provides' loss of use "coverage, which pays the rental company if the damaged or stolen car can not be rented. In most states, car insurance policy does not cover loss of use. So, if you do not purchase the Collision Damage Waiver, you might have a loss for the use of exposure, if the car is damaged. But if you use your credit card, the automatic capture, it will be for the loss of the use.

Some car rental companies require you to pay for the repair or replacement cost of his own pocket in front, and then you need to get reimbursed by your own insurance. Forced to deal with thousands of dollars in immediate cash could ruin a vacation. You are before this up-front costs by the CDW. Read your lease carefully!

• Personal Effects Coverage. This provides cover for theft or damage to personal property in the car. The costs are between $ 2 and $ 5 per day.

• Additional liability insurance. This provides liability coverage to $ 1 million. The costs are between $ 7 and $ 9 per day.

• Personal Accident Insurance. These are passengers and your vehicle for medical expenses. If you already have personal health policies or travel policies, it will not be necessary to buy this optional coverage. It usually costs between $ 3 and $ 5 per day.

Corporate travelers. If you are traveling frequently for business, would be another matter. Ask your company to find out whether they are a corporate travel policy. If they do, find out what the policy, and then simply do not buy duplicate coverage on the rental car contract.

Cars outside your country of residence. Some insurers exclude coverage if you are in a foreign country. Some are for you, but only a limited time. Some credit card companies for rental cars outside your country of residence. Check with your insurance company and a credit card for specific details, writing and GET IT!

Q: Can I give others to my car?

A: If your personal or business auto coverage for your car, chances are all "authorized drivers" are covered. An "authorized driver" means any person on the policy. Well, here is a big GOTCHA! If your teenaged son drives your car and he can be his girlfriend to the car, you can. If the girlfriend allows another person to drive, NO COVERAGE!

Some car rental companies have exceptions for young drivers. Some additional cost for young drivers. Find out this information prior to your arrival at the car rental counter.

Q: How do I file a claim if I've had an accident?

A: When you experience the damage or theft, immediately get a camera and take lots of photos of the damage, including any other cars or property that was damaged. Keep the photos! Notify the landlord immediately of the damage.

Report the damage to your car insurance when your personal or business coverage.

If the vehicle is returned to the landlord immediately ask for:

• A copy of the accident report and any claim documents that show should be the amount you are responsible to pay, and all amounts that were paid on the claim.
• A copy of the first and last car leases.
• A copy of the repair estimate or repair bill paid.
• A police report if one exists.

So the bottom line is:

If you have personal auto insurance, auto insurance or commercial Corporate Travel coverage, it is usually not required to pay for the Collision Damage Waiver or additional coverages offered to you by the rental car contract. Your situation may vary.

Get everything in writing, and make an informed decision. Then enjoy your car hire experience!

Copyright 2008 by Russell D. Long Core
P.S. I wrote a book that you need! Check out: http://www.insurance-claim-secrets.com NUMBER ONE at Amazon.com in its category!

My blog is at: http://insurance-claim-secrets.blogspot.com/
Nominated for Georgia Author of the Year Award 2008